The following blog is by Brittney Castro originally published in Brittney Castro’s Blog – Financially Wise Women.

Why is it so hard to save money?

I cannot tell you how many times a day I hear this from the people I work with.

And while there are many reasons why people don’t save money, currently the personal savings rate in America is only 4%.* Even though financial planning rules teach us to save 20% of our net income, most people just make saving too painful and difficult on themselves.

I mean, we’re constantly bombarded with messages to buy, buy, buy, now, now, now, so without systems and buffers in place, saving money for your financial goals is nearly impossible.

But instead of complaining about how saving money is so hard, watch this video where I share five simple ways you can save more money.

About the author: Brittney Castro, CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ is the Founder and CEO of Financially Wise Women, a Los Angeles based financial planning firm for women. She specializes in working with busy professional and entrepreneurial women who are passionate about life and want to gain clarity around their money. Brittney’s mission is to help women plan and create the life of their dreams, free from anxiety about money. She is known for her non-judgmental, compassionate approach to financial planning. She has been featured in the Wall Street Journal, New York Times, Financial Planning Magazine, Investment News, and Registered Rep Magazine. Away from the office, you can find Brittney working out, drinking green juice, reading, playing at the park with her dog Arya and of course dancing. Visit her at http://www.financiallywisewomen.com and request a FREE 30-minute Discovery Session to discuss how financial planning can help you use your money to live a life you love. Financially Wise Women is a registered investment adviser offering advisory services in the State of California and in other jurisdictions where exempted.